Troopers: Driver falls asleep, crashes into school bus with students

JACKSONVILLE, NC (WCTI12.com) — A driver fell asleep and crashed his SUV head-on into a school bus Tuesday morning, sending the driver and six students to hospitals, according to the Highway Patrol.

Troopers said the wreck happened at about 7 a.m. in Jacksonville. The scene is on Old Maplehurst Road, near the intersection of Vandergrift Drive and in front of the Jehovah’s Kingdom Hall building.

According to investigators, the driver of the Nissan Xterra SUV fell asleep and crossed the center line, then crashed into the school bus carrying 26 students to Southwest High School. The SUV suffered significant damage.